The Midwife's Curse
by elana.kahn
Summary: Calia, the Camelot midwife, has not delivered a live birth in over a week, and it is now time to seek expert help. With the help of Gaius and Merlin, Calia seeks to break the curse that has been set upon her and all of Camelot, but time is of the essence as Guinevere and Arthur are expecting a child any day...
1. Chapter 1

Calia gave a worried look past the woman's swollen belly to her exhausted face. She knew this baby would be born soon and prayed that he would not succumb to the same fate that took her last three deliveries.

"Push, my lady. Your baby is almost here," she pleaded.

"No! No! Please do not make me push anymore!" was the anxious reply. It was a response Calia had heard many times before, but she knew that there was no turning back now and the woman must birth her baby…and quickly.

"Yes. Just one more and he will be here, I promise!" and with an almighty scream from the woman, Calia expertly maneuvered the baby's head out, the rest of the body following with a slippery whoosh. Silently Calia prayed for the baby to cry. '_Please. I would do anything…just make this baby live!'_ But there was only silence. Calia took the baby to the other end of the small shack and used every magical spell she knew to bring the child to life, all while avoiding to arouse the suspicion of the new parents. With magic being banned in Camelot on pain of death, she needed to be especially careful of using her gifts where others might see. But there was no saving this baby. The curse had struck again.

The mother begged, "Why is he not crying, Calia? Tell me what is wrong!"

With tears prickling at her eyes, Calia gave the response she dreaded more than all others. "I am sorry, my lady. He is stillborn."

The sound of the mother's screams could be heard in Merlin's dreams, and he awoke with a start.


	2. Chapter 2

Sitting bolt upright in bed, Merlin wondered what had awoken him. He looked around the room briefly before climbing out of bed to check on Gaius, yawning as he stretched his tight limbs. Merlin quietly peeked out of his bedroom door and snuck down the stairs, but Gaius appeared to be sleeping soundly, snoring louder than Kilgarrah. He shook his head with confusion then tiptoed back to bed, the sound of the woman's scream still resonating in his ears.

"Merlin? Are you up yet?" Gaius called. Merlin groaned, rolling over in bed. It felt to him as though he had just fallen back to sleep and already the sun was shining.

"I'm getting there!" Merlin replied sleepily. Merlin stood up, grabbed his cleanest shirt and tugged it over his head.

Gaius chuckled, "Good, because I'm leaving to fetch some herbs from the market, and I need you to clean out the empty bottles before I return."

"Great," Merlin rolled his eyes, "Fantastic…" He stumbled from his room and sat at the table to scarf down his breakfast before getting to work.

"I'll be back in a few hours, Merlin, and try not to break any bottles," Gaius said, smirking at Merlin.

Merlin called back, "Thanks for your confidence!" as Gaius shut the door behind him. "Well, time to get to work."

As Merlin began the arduous task of cleaning the dirty herb containers, Calia made her way quickly toward Gaius's chambers, nearly in tears. She thought to herself, '_Why is this happening to me? Every baby that is born dies before he even has a chance to take a breath! There is no reason for it…no explanation... I know these babies are alive before they leave their mothers, so what is going on? I hope Gaius has some explanation…can do something for me. But I am so afraid! With Queen Guinevere ready to give birth any moment, I fear…oh God, if that were to happen I would be killed!_' Arriving at Gaius's door, Calia knocked feverishly, calling out, "Gaius? Gaius, are you there? Please! I need help!"

Merlin, hearing her cries, ran to open the door, but upon opening it he was struck completely dumb and dropped the bottle he was holding, shattering it on the floor. '_Damn,_' Merlin thought, '_Gaius told me not to break any bottles…and in front of a beautiful woman, no less._' Even in her terrified and frantic state, Calia was a beautiful young woman, her thick golden curls reaching halfway down her back, and her blue eyes piercing Merlin's heart with grief and anxiety. His breath quickened as he looked at her, making him unable speak for several moments.

Breathlessly, Merlin finally said, "Gaius is not here, my lady. Is there something I can help you with?"

Without speaking, Calia broke down into heart-wrenching sobs. Merlin, surprised, led her to the bench and sat her down, waiting for her to calm down enough to talk.

Taking shuddering breaths, Calia began to speak, "My…my name is Calia, and I am the midwife here in Camelot. I have known Gaius ever since I was born, when my mother was the practicing midwife. Will Gaius be back soon? I need his help…"

Shaking his head, Merlin replied, "I am sorry, Calia, but Gaius is out in the market for the day. But I would like to help you. Can you not tell me what you need Gaius for? My name is Merlin, and I am his apprentice."

"It is nice to meet you, Merlin, but how do I know I can trust you…" Calia sighed, frowning, then continued quietly, "The only man I can trust is Gaius."

"You can trust me," Merlin pleaded, "I promise you. I would not do anything to harm you, my lady." He added in his thought, '_So beautiful, yet so sad…I wish I could see her smile._'

Calia shook her head, letting out a small, smile-less chuckle, "Men are not trustworthy, they are all cruel pigs. How do I know you are different?"

"Because I'm Merlin!" he grinned. This time, Calia actually smiled and let out a real giggle, which made Merlin grin even wider, thinking to himself, '_Success! And such a beautiful smile it is, too._'

"Well, you surely seem different than other men I have met, but I am still not sure..." Calia pondered for a minute then continued, "I will give you the benefit of the doubt because I trust Gaius completely, and you are apprenticed to him."

Merlin smiled and said, "Thank you. I appreciate this very much as I can see how upset you are and want to help you."

Calia gave him a surprised look and thought to herself, '_He most definitely is different than any other man I have met. It appears as if he actually cares… But that is impossible, for no men care about me._' "Thank you. I will tell you what has happened to upset me." She sighed deeply then continued nervously, "I have not seen a live birth in over a week. Every single baby has been stillborn. One or two every few weeks or months is normal, but not four in a week! Not only that, but every baby has been alive just moments before entering this world, yet none of them have taken even one breath after being born. It is a midwife's worst nightmare, Merlin. I am more than terrified about Queen Guinevere's upcoming birth… I just do not know what to do any more."

"I understand," Merlin replied, "I would be frightened as well in your position. What have you tried to do to solve this problem?"

Calia answered, "Anything I could think of. I have used every herb I possess in different combinations and every ounce of my midwifery skills. I was hoping Gaius might be able to think of something I have missed or possibly figure out what is causing this to happen."

"From what you have now told me, I am beginning to fear this is more complicated than having Gaius making a potion for your new mothers. Something must be causing these stillbirths, and we need to find out what it could be. Maybe it is something they are eating or drinking?" Merlin questioned.

"Not possible," Calia responded, "As I said, the babies are alive until the very moment they are born. If it were something of that nature they would be dying in the womb."

Merlin sighed, "Then it may be something much worse."

"You think it's magic, don't you? A curse, perhaps?" Calia asked, frowning.

"That is what I fear. Why else would every baby be stillborn? But I do not know how to stop a curse such as this. Who would do such a thing?" Merlin wondered.

Sighing, Calia responded, "No idea. I have no enemies that I know of, and overcoming this kind of magic is beyond my power." Realizing what she said, Calia gasped, covering her mouth quickly, and whispered, "Oh God…I'm dead now anyway…"

"No," Merlin said, instinctively putting a hand on Calia's arm, "I will keep your secret. Not all magic is bad." He smiled at her, realizing that a kindred spirit was in his midst.

"Thank you," Calia whispered gratefully, staring at the hand on her arm.

Merlin blushed, removing his hand. "Don't worry about it. I wish to help you as best I can, and I am sure Gaius will as well. We can't have this continue or… Let's not speak of that. We will find a way to break this curse."

Calia nodded at him shyly, "Your help is most appreciated, Merlin. I must go check on Gwen, but I will come back later to see if Gaius has returned. If not, he can find me in my hut this evening." As she stood up and walked to the door, Merlin followed, watching her.

"I will do everything in my power, Calia," Merlin said, with a wink and a marked emphasis on the word 'power'. Calia smiled with a slight blush and swept out of the room, closing the door gently behind her.

Merlin sat down, his head reeling, unable to get Calia's image out of his mind. '_What on earth am I going to do? We must break this curse and fast. Arthur will kill Calia if his baby is born still._' Merlin sighed and walked slowly over to the bookshelves, pouring over each title and praying that one would jump out at him with the answer. '_The solution has to be here somewhere. I cannot let anything happen to Calia…_'


	3. Chapter 3

After shutting the door, Calia stood there silently for some time. Her hand was still on the door, as if trying to touch through it to the other side. She was thinking about Merlin and what had just transpired and was completely in awe of him. Never before had a man treated her with respect and kindness. Even the husbands of the women who she delivered treated her like a servant most of the time, but Merlin was very different. Calia smiled thinking of him and his handsome face, looking forward to coming back after seeing Queen Guinevere and hoping he would be there.

She finally pulled herself away from the door and made her way quickly to the queen's chambers. When she arrived she could hear voices within. Calia knocked nervously at the door and waited for someone to open it.

"Can I help you?" Arthur asked, opening the door, "Oh, it is you, Calia. Come in! We have been expecting you." Arthur motioned to Calia to come in and led her toward the bed where Guinevere was resting.

"Thank you, sire," Calia replied with a curtsey before following Arthur into the room, "How are you feeling, my queen?"

Guinevere smiled, laughing softly, "Please, just call me Gwen! I am feeling well, thank you, though every evening I feel it is time for the baby to come."

"What do you mean?" Calia frowned, "Why have you not called for me?"

"Because the pains would stop after a few hours and never became particularly uncomfortable," Gwen explained, "But I can tell that it will be very soon."

Calia nodded, "I am sure it will be. May I examine you, my…Gwen?"

"Yes," Gwen answered, laughing.

Calia took her time, making sure to exam Gwen and the baby fully. The baby's heart rate was perfect, as always, and seemed to be measuring right on target for 39 weeks, which meant the birth could happen at any time…even tonight. Calia shook her head, trying to brush that thought away. There was not enough time to break the curse by this evening.

"Everything seems to be just fine with the baby," Calia told Gwen, "But I would like to check to see how close you are to delivering, if I may. It may be a bit uncomfortable but will just take a second. Please lay back for me."

Gwen laid down and spread her legs apart. Arthur took Gwen's hand lovingly, allowing her to squeeze it when Calia gently checked her. Calia's face paled when she realized that Gwen was already 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. It really could be any second, and she prayed that by checking her she had not sped up what was already going to happen too soon for her liking. Standing up and wiping her hands off, Calia said to Gwen, "All is well. Your baby will be here quite soon...within the next few days, if I am not mistaken. Rest as much as you can, because birthing this baby will take a lot of energy."

Nodding with a smile, Gwen replied, "I understand, and I am sure Arthur won't let me out of this bed until I have a baby in my arms."

Arthur laughed, "You are quite right, my love. Thank you, Calia. We will come and find you as soon as we need you."

"You are quite welcome, sire. Do not forget that you need to rest as well. I will leave you for now, if that is all right, but I look forward to seeing you both for the birth," Calia responded, standing and backing toward the door respectfully.

"We look forward to seeing you, too," Gwen smiled, waving at the midwife's retreating figure.

Standing, Arthur said, "I will see you out," and led Calia to the door. "Thank you. I know your presence calms Gwen very much."

"You are most welcome, your majesty," Calia replied, blushing, "I have enjoyed caring for Gwen very much and only want the best for her and your baby."

"I know that. I have watched you work with her, and I am impressed with your skills. We are very lucky to have you in Camelot," Arthur complimented.

Calia mumbled, blushing even redder, "You are most kind, my lord." She reached the door and tugged on the handle, opening it. Calia curtseyed before stepping outside and shutting the door behind her, almost falling to the floor in worry. 'Gwen is so close to delivering her baby…and it appears it may be a quick delivery. I need more time! I need Merlin…I mean Gaius…I need Gaius's help.' She shook her head wondering why she thought of Merlin before Gaius then started walking home.

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Meanwhile, Merlin was frantically looking through every book Gaius owned for some way to break the curse. He had completely forgotten about the dirty herb bottles and hadn't even cleaned up the one he had broken. Somewhere in the back of his mind Merlin knew that Gaius was probably going to rip him a new one when he got back, but he honestly did not care about anything except finding some way to help Calia.

After a few hours of this, Gaius finally returned shocked at the mess. "Merlin, what on earth is going on in here? Where are my cleaned potion bottles? I see you broke one already… And what are you doing with all of my books?" he questioned.

"I…uh…there's a very good explanation for all of this," Merlin offered, giving Gaius a cheeky smile.

"Out with it, then," Gaius shook his head.

"Someone stopped by earlier and needs our help," Merlin explained.

Gaius raised his eyebrows, "If it was anyone less than King Arthur you are in for it."

"It was Calia," Merlin replied.

Gaius said with surprise, "Oh, really? What could she possibly want that is more important than herb bottles? Knowing her, I'm surprised she did not ask to help clean them!" Gaius laughed, but stopped immediately when he saw the worried look on Merlin's face. "Merlin…what is going on?"

"She's cursed," Merlin put simply, "Someone has put a curse on her that every baby she delivers is stillborn. I have been searching for answers since she left. There is very little time, Gaius. Gwen is about ready to explode, and Calia is supposed to be delivering her baby."

Gaius paled and nodded, "Forget the bottles…they can wait." He took a deep breath then went looking for a book. "I know it's here somewhere…ah!" Gaius pulled a large volume down from the shelf, then rifled through it. "In the Old Religion they have power over life and death. You remember what happened with Nimueh." Merlin nodded in acknowledgement, and Gaius continued, "There is a curse that takes the souls of babies as they are born and transfers them into other bodies. It would be used to create an army of the dead, should enough souls be captured in this manner. An added 'benefit', if you will, for whoever has placed this curse is probably the thought that Arthur and Gwen's baby will die and his soul captured for this army. The only person I can think of who would do such a thing is…"

"Morgana," Merlin surmised.

Gaius agreed, "Exactly. It gets rid of the heir to the throne and adds a very powerful soul to her army."

"Then how do we break the curse?" Merlin asked, "Can we do it before Gwen gives birth?"

"That is what I hope to find here," Gaius pointed to the book.

Merlin sighed with relief, "Good. I do not even want to picture what Arthur would do to Calia if his son were to die at birth." Merlin shivered then continued, "She seems so kind and gentle, yet sad and troubled. I feel so compelled to help her."

Gaius gave Merlin a knowing look then said, "Merlin, do you have feelings for Calia?"

Merlin blushed scarlet, "No…of course not…" He trailed off, revealing his uncertainty and betraying his true feelings.

"Right," Gaius replied unbelievingly, "You could do much worse than Calia, Merlin. She is a wonderful woman, a skilled healer and midwife, and honestly I think she suits you." Gaius grinned at Merlin then continued flipping pages in the book.

Merlin thought about this carefully but had to agree with Gaius. Calia did suit him. She had magic, he knew that, and she was knowledgeable, sensitive and kindhearted. She was also so beautiful that it took his breath completely every time he looked at her. But he could not even think about making any kind of move or even allowing himself to fall in love with her until the curse was broken. This wasn't the first time he had fallen in love with a cursed woman, and he could not do that again. The memory was just too painful to relive.

Gaius found the page he was looking for and poured over it. Reaching the bottom of the page, he smirked. This was just too perfect… "Merlin, you get to work on those herb bottles. I'm going to find Calia."


	4. Chapter 4

Gaius picked up the book to take it with him. Now that he knew how to break the curse it was imperative that Merlin not find out. If that happened it could possibly ruin everything, so it would be up to him, Gaius, to work on it behind the scenes. But first he needed to make sure that his plan would even be feasible, which is why he was walking quickly to Calia's hut, praying that she would be home. As he approached her small residence, he saw a lit candle on her table and breathed a sigh of relief. Gaius knocked quietly on the door, and Calia, hearing the knock, went to answer it. Her first thought turned to Merlin, so when she opened the door and saw Gaius standing there, her face fell briefly but then turned into a smile so as not to offend Gaius. Gaius noticed her change of expressions and wondered if it meant what he thought it did, but he did not say anything.

"Gaius! I am glad to see you," Calia semi-lied. She was technically glad to see Gaius, just somewhat disappointed that it was not Merlin.

Gaius replied, "It is good to see you as well, Calia. I do not see you as often as I used to, and it is a pity. You should stop by more frequently." He paused, watching for Calia's reaction, and he was not disappointed. A small smile had spread across her lips as he spoke about her visiting his and Merlin's shared chambers. Gaius continued, "But inviting you for a visit is not why I am here. Merlin told me that you are having some trouble with stillbirths, and I want you to know that I am working on breaking the curse for you."

"Really? You have found a way to stop it?" Calia asked.

"I believe so," confirmed Gaius, "But it may take a few days, possibly longer. We need to delay Gwen's birth as long as possible, so I am making up a potion for her to take that hopefully will buy us some extra time."

Calia nodded, "I considered making her that potion myself, actually. I am glad that you agree it is necessary. What do I need to do in order to break the curse?"

"You need not do anything, actually," Gaius answered, "In order to relieve some of your anxiety, however, I am going to have Merlin accompany you for births as an assistant. He will bring you any herbs or other items you may need. If the parents are uncomfortable with having him in the house for the birth then he will wait outside, otherwise he will be there with you every step."

Calia breathed a sigh of relief and nearly grinned with happiness. She was going to have Merlin right there to help her with births. It could not possibly get any better than this, unless of course those babies would actually live to take a breath. And Gaius was going to work on breaking the curse. She had full faith in him, but she was worried it would not happen quickly enough for Gwen and Arthur's baby. "Thank you, Gaius. I greatly appreciate you offering Merlin to me for births, but does he have any idea what he's gotten himself into?" Calia asked.

"Well, actually, I have not told him yet. But he is a quick learner and I am sure he will do just fine…provided he doesn't faint," Gaius joked.

Calia laughed, "Great…just what I need is someone passing out at a birth. There are fathers who do that sometimes, and it is not very helpful." She smiled and then went on, "I hope Merlin agrees to this arrangement. I have always wanted an assistant and am really looking forward to having him there with me."

"I am glad. I will go and let him know what I've volunteered him for," Gaius chuckled, "I am sure he will be excited to help you, and I hope you will teach him something about herbs. He would rather practice his magic than learn herbal lore with me, and I feel you would be a good influence on him when it comes to this."

Calia nodded, smiling, "I would be happy to help. I use a lot of herbs in my work, as you know, so he will be forced to become familiar with them."

"Excellent. Come and fetch him whenever you are needed for a birth. I will make sure he is available for you," Gaius replied.

"Hopefully I will need his help sooner rather than later, though not with Gwen," Calia said with a smirk. "Have a good evening, Gaius," she then added almost silently under her breath, "I know I will…"

Gaius heard her mumble and stifled a large grin, "Good night, Calia." Gaius left Calia's hut, closing the door behind him, and made his way back to his chambers. Gaius felt as though a great weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. Breaking the curse was going to be easy as pie. He nearly skipped home, he was so joyful. Upon entering his rooms, Gaius saw that Merlin had indeed finished cleaning his herb bottles and had even arranged them just the way he liked it.

"Well done, Merlin!" Gaius quipped.

Merlin jumped, not having noticed Gaius's arrival. He looked up and smiled, "Thank you. How did everything go with Calia?"

"Quite well," Gauis reported, "I am confident that I will be able to break the curse, but I will need your help."

"I would do anything to help her. What do you need me to do?" Merlin asked.

Gaius smiled, knowingly, "You are going to assist her with births. Bring her herbs, keep her calm, do anything at all she asks you to."

Merlin gave Gaius a shifty look, "Are…are you serious? Attend births? What if I pass out?"

"You won't pass out," Gaius reassured him, "Calia is a skillful midwife, and I am confident you will be just fine. Hopefully you'll even learn something! Just keep a smile on Calia's face, ok?"

"That I can do," Merlin nodded, smiling, then added under his breath, "with pleasure…"

"Good. She will teach you about herbs, so make sure to pay attention. She may even need your help with magic, but you still need to be very careful with it and not let anyone see…except Calia, of course," Gaius explained, "She knows your secret, and I assume you know hers."

Merlin affirmed, "Yes. She accidentally told me when she first came here. I will do my best to learn quickly so I can be a good assistant for her. I'll make you proud, Gaius." Merlin grinned.

Gaius laughed and replied, "Good. It's about time you did something to make me proud. I mean, it's not like you've ever saved anyone's life nor done anything heroic before."

"Right," Merlin chuckled, "I've never done anything to make you proud before." Merlin thought a minute before adding, "Should I go to see Calia tonight? For a lesson, I mean. Does she need to teach me anything before we are called for a birth?"

Gaius nodded, "That would not be a bad idea, actually. A knowledgeable assistant is much more helpful than one with no clue what is going on. Besides, do you actually know _anything_ about birth?"

Merlin shook his head, "I don't even know where babies come from, Gaius…" Both Merlin and Gaius laughed hysterically at this, and it took some time for both to catch their breath.

"Then you had better find out," Gaius shooed Merlin toward the door. "Don't come back too late," he added with a wink.

"Do I ever?" Merlin joked.

Gaius grinned, rolling his eyes, "No, you have never come back past your bedtime or gone missing overnight."

"Exactly! I have never given you any reason not to trust I'll be home when I say I will be," Merlin laughed, "Don't worry. I will send word if I am going to be delayed or if we are called to a birth."

"That is most appreciated, but I know you will be in good hands with Calia, and I trust that you will only learn about where babies come from and not attempt to practice or create one yourself," Gaius replied with a smirk.

Merlin's face turned a bright shade of red, "GAIUS!"

"Sorry," Gaius grinned, "I couldn't help myself there. Now be off with you! I will see you when you return. Calia's hut is three doors down from Gwen's old home. She has a dark blue door and light wooden shutters. You should be able to see her through an open window to know you are at the right place. If not, one of her neighbors should be able to point you in the right direction."

Merlin nodded, "Thank you, Gaius. See you later." Merlin stood and walked toward the door, happier than he had been in recent memory. He was actually going to be able to spend time with Calia regularly, and with Gaius's permission! He almost felt as though he were walking in a dream and strode quickly toward Calia's home, glad to be seeing her again so soon.


	5. Chapter 5

"Calia? Cal?" Merlin knocked at the door, hoping he was at the right home.

Calia was preparing a modest dinner for herself when she heard the knock at the door and someone calling her name. '_Who could that be? Gaius didn't say anything about coming back tonight… And who on earth calls me Cal?_'she thought with wonder.

"Coming!" she called to her unknown visitor. Calia wiped her hands on the nearest towel and opened the door. "Merlin! What are you doing here?" she asked with surprise.

Merlin smiled, "Gaius told me about my new job, and I thought you might want to teach me a little something about being a midwife's assistant before I make a fool out of myself at my first birth."

"That is an excellent idea," Calia said with a laugh, "Are you hungry? I was just making a little supper."

"Starving, actually," Merlin grinned, "What are you having?"

Calia shrugged her shoulders, "It doesn't really have a name. I make flat bread then wrap spiced meat, lettuce, and tomatoes inside. If I have any, I like to add sour cream and cheese on top. It's quite delicious, really."

"It surely sounds good. I would love to try it! Is there anything I can do to help?" Merlin asked.

Calia smiled, "You can chop tomatoes and lettuce if you want, and I'll tell you the basics of birth while I cook the meat. Herbs you will learn as we need them at births; it is easier to remember them that way."

"Ok!" Merlin responded then grabbed several tomatoes and began to chop them.

"Birth is a long process," Calia explained, watching Merlin's progress with the tomatoes and stirring the meat, "The mother will feel contraction pains, as you know, but they generally start off very far apart with an hour or two between them. This can go on for weeks before they become closer together. Sometimes a mother may feel them become closer every evening only to fall asleep and have them stop. This has been happening to Gwen, in fact, and it is quite common. Because of this it is not unusual to be called to the same house several nights in a row before the birth actually happens. As the woman becomes closer to delivery, the contractions become very close together and very strong. For most of labor it is our job to do whatever we can to comfort the mother and ease her pain. This includes the use of herbs, position changes, massage, and even just speaking to her and reminding her to breathe. Some women may not want you in the house at all for the birth, and this is understandable. In those cases I will have you wait outside in case I need you for something. It would be best to bring a book with you so you don't get bored." Calia smiled and Merlin chuckled back at her, "I am hoping, though, that because you are the court physician's apprentice your presence at births will not be questioned. As for your role, I will do most of the work and basically just ask you for things: a cool washcloth, an herb or potion, boiled water, an instrument, etc. I will keep the mother as covered as possible so you do not have to worry about seeing anything you do not want to, but honestly it is almost inevitable that you will witness the miracle of birth…more than once. Are you ok with this?"

Merlin nodded, putting the tomatoes into a bowl and beginning to chop up the lettuce, "Yes. I actually look forward to seeing something so special, even though I know that sounds very wrong."

Calia shook her head, "No…I understand what you mean. I still cry at births because it is such a miracle, though lately I have been crying from devastation rather than joy." Calia sighed then continued, "But if you feel as though you are going to pass out, it is better for you to leave the room than to hit the floor. I will not think any less of you if you do this…I promise."

"Thank you," Merlin replied smiling, "I hope that I will not faint or need to leave. I want to make sure you have the support you need."

"I have done well thus far by myself, Merlin, but I will feel less nervous knowing there is someone else there," Calia mused.

Merlin finished chopping the lettuce and put it in a separate bowl from the tomatoes, "Do you need me to do anything else, Cal?"

Calia giggled, "You did it again! You called me 'Cal'. Where did you get that from?"

"I don't know; it just felt right to call you that. Do you mind?" Merlin asked.

Calia shook her head smiling, "No, I don't mind at all. It's cute. I've never had a nickname before…"

"Well, now you have one," Merlin grinned, "Is everything ready for supper?"

"Yes it is. We just need to set the table," Calia replied.

Merlin walked toward Calia to grab two plates from the pile in front of her, but Calia reached for the plates at the same time and accidentally grabbed Merlin's hand instead. She looked up, and their eyes met. Both Merlin and Calia turned the color of fresh beets and jerked their hands back quickly. "I'm so sorry," Calia apologized.

Merlin shook his head, "There's no need to be." Avoiding her gaze, Merlin picked up two plates and placed them on the table while Calia grabbed the various dinner ingredients and served them. Merlin then sat down across from Calia, staring at his plate. He could not believe what had just happened. When their hands met, Merlin had felt an actual spark travel from her fingers to his. It was a jolt that shocked him to the core. He wondered if Calia had felt is as well, but he was much too nervous to talk about what had just happened, so he concentrated heavily on the bread concoction in front of him. It looked delectable, so he took a bite and was not disappointed. "Mmmmm…this is really good!" he said with his mouth full.

Calia risked a look at him and smiled, "Thanks." She then proceeded to eat her meal slowly, focusing on her plate. Calia was extremely embarrassed by what had just happened by the plates. She never had any physical contact with men, and she was surprised by the softness of Merlin's hand. But what really got to her was the electricity that flowed between the two of them. It was almost like an exchange of magic, and it surprised her. She wondered if that always happened whenever a man and a woman touched, and she thought back to any other interactions she had had with men but could not remember ever feeling such a thing before.

Merlin and Calia ate in silence, stealing brief, nervous glances at each other, hoping the opposite party would not notice. Inevitably one would catch the other, causing both to blush furiously and ultimately resulting with both of them once again examining the floorboards. When both had finished their meal, Calia cleared the plates.

Merlin pushed back his chair and stood up, "That was amazing. You are a fantastic cook."

"Thank you," Calia blushed, "It's really nothing. I could easily show you how to make it. Besides, you were the one who chopped the vegetables! That is half the work!"

Merlin laughed, "Right. I would love to learn how to spice the meat like that, though."

"One day I will teach you," Calia offered, "The more you learn about herbs the better cook you will become."

"That makes sense," Merlin replied, "Now then, is there anything else I need to know about birth?"

Calia smiled, "There is so much you need to know, but I believe you will learn on the job. Being a midwife is hard work, but it is very rewarding. The best way to learn how is to do it yourself. Of course you will not be doing my work, just helping."

"I look -," Merlin began but was interrupted by a loud banging at the door. Calia rose to open it and saw a man with a very worried look in his eyes.

"Are you the midwife?" he asked. Calia nodded, and he continued, "My wife…I think she's having the baby. Can you come?"

"Of course," Calia replied, grabbing her midwifery supplies hurriedly. "Merlin, follow us to this man's home so you know where it is, then run and tell Gaius that you are needed. Please be quick. It looks like you are about to get your first hands-on lesson in birthing."

Merlin nodded, smiling, and followed them. Once they arrived at the couple's hut, Merlin took note of where they were and ran of back to the castle. Gaius was not in their rooms when he arrived, so he wrote a short note letting him know what was going on and not to wait up for him. Merlin left the note on Gaius's pillow, grabbed his own backpack with supplies and rushed back out the door toward the home where Calia was waiting for him.


	6. Chapter 6

Merlin sighed. He was completely lost. He had taken a wrong turn somewhere on the way back to the house where Calia was waiting for him and now he had no clue where he was. He retraced his steps going back toward the castle to try again. He thought, '_Calia, where are you?_'

Shockingly, he heard back in his head a surprised, '_Merlin? Are you talking to me?_' in Calia's voice. Something like this had happened to him before with Mordred and other druids, but he was amazed that it worked with Calia.

'_Yes!_' he responded to her telepathically, '_I am completely lost. How can I find you?_'

Calia's voice told him, '_Close your eyes, and I will guide you._'

Merlin closed his eyes and immediately pictured the house where Calia was. He recognized it and could see the path laid out in front of him. He offered her a quick, '_Thank you,_' in his mind before opening his eyes and running toward her.

Calia was equally as shocked at this little exchange as Merlin was. Unlike Merlin, however, she had never before communicated this way, but, once she had gotten over the initial amazement, it felt comfortable. And she knew instinctively that she would be able to help him find his way just by picturing it.

Before long she heard Merlin's soft knock at the door, and she answered it quickly. "Thank goodness you're here. I was really getting worried!" Calia greeted him.

Merlin grinned, "Sorry! But I'm here now. How can I help?"

"Vivian and Gareth are having their first child," Calia explained, "Everything appears to be going very well, actually. Do you know anything about female anatomy or how babies are born?"

Merlin nodded, "Anatomy, yes. Gaius taught me that much at least. I just know that the womb needs to open so the baby can come out."

"Good!" Calia exclaimed, "That is a start. The entrance to the womb is called a cervix and it needs to open or dilate until the opening is 10 cm in diameter. The cervix also needs to thin out. It starts about 3 cm thick and needs to end up paper thin. That process is called effacement. A cervix that is 50% effaced is about 1.5 cm thick. This tells us how far along in labor a woman is. Vivian was about 6 cm dilated and 80% effaced when I just checked her. That means we probably still have a few more hours to go until she'll start pushing. Just watch what I do. You can sit over there unless I need you for something specific. I don't want you to make them uncomfortable."

"Of course," Merlin agreed then walked to the other end of the hut, where Calia had pointed to a chair. He was looking forward to watching Calia work.

Calia smiled and walked over to where Vivian was laying on her bed. She whispered something to the new mother then helped her to get up and stand by the bed, leaning over it onto some pillows. With each contraction Calia helped Vivian sway, reminded her to breathe and spoke to her softly. Merlin watched her with awe, amazed at her sensitivity and intuitiveness. Every so often Calia would help Vivian change positions: standing, laying down, on her hands and knees, lunging, and even what appeared to be Vivian slow dancing with Gareth. Merlin was completely engrossed watching them.

When Vivian's back began to hurt, Calia massaged it for a while then showed Gareth what to do and took a break, walking toward the chair where Merlin was patiently waiting.

"You are incredible, Cal," he complimented her.

Calia blushed, "Thanks. This is what I love to do. I hope you aren't bored just watching us."

"Not in the least," Merlin assured her, "It is truly amazing to watch you work."

Calia smiled at him then frowned, "Oh Merlin, I am absolutely terrified. Already the grief is overwhelming me. I cannot get over this feeling…this depression. As her labor progresses I am sinking farther and farther down, knowing how this will end and dreading it." Tears started to prick at Calia's eyes.

"I'm sorry. I am also nervous, but I will use every ounce of my magical power to save this baby. I don't know if it will work, but I will do my best," Merlin said, trying to comfort her.

As tears started to flow down Calia's cheeks, she quickly wiped them away. "Thank you. I know you will, but I do not believe anything will work. The curse is still active, unless Gaius has figured something out and not told us."

"Actually, I do think Gaius knows something and isn't telling us," Merlin mused, "but I have faith in him. He must have his reasons for keeping it a secret. We will just have to wait."

"But there is no time!" Calia yelled angrily, pounding her fist on a nearby table.

Merlin put a hand on Calia's shoulder and nodded, "I know."

Calia calmed at Merlin's touch, feeling his healing power surge through her. Though it did very little for her crushing despair, it took away the anger and frustration she was feeling. She covered his hand with hers gratefully and smiled, looking into his eyes. Calia was so happy to have Merlin there with her and was starting to wonder how she had ever done this alone in the past.

A noise from the opposite end of the room disturbed Calia's thoughts. Vivian's breathing had changed significantly during this last contraction, and the grunting noise she made gave it away completely. It was time to push this baby out.

Calia walked over to Vivian and helped her lay back on the bed. "I'm going to check to make sure we're ready for you to push, ok?" she asked.

Vivian nodded at her, unable to speak. Calia quickly checked and confirmed that Vivian was fully dilated. She shot a worried look to Merlin who replied with a look that clearly said 'you can do this.'

Calia showed Gareth how to help Vivian hold her legs then said, "Ok Vivian, on the next contraction I want you to bear down and push…all the way to your bottom." Moments later Vivian screamed loudly as she pushed, but Calia told her to shush, "No screaming…put it all behind the baby. Hold your breath when you push."

This time Vivian was able to push effectively, and Calia was impressed with her quick progress. Merlin, meanwhile, was trying not to look. He was feeling a bit queasy, but he did not want to leave Calia alone and would not allow himself to leave the room. He watched Calia carefully and listened to her instructions to Vivian. She betrayed no nervousness when working with her, but he knew that inside she was a complete mess.

"That's it…you're doing a wonderful job! Keep going…keep pushing…just like that! Do that again. Take a deep breath and come right back to it!" Calia encouraged Vivian. When that particular contraction was over, Calia looked toward Merlin. She knew she couldn't leave Vivian's side, so she tried out her telepathy instead, '_Merlin…I'm so scared._' She closed her eyes, blinking back tears, '_The baby is fine now. I can feel her moving; I can sense her heartbeat. But I know what's going to happen, and I don't want it to… I don't want to have to tell them! Help me…_'

'_I know, Cal,_' Merlin replied in thought, '_I'm not going anywhere, and I will help you get through this._'

Calia gave Merlin a nod with a look that said 'thank you' before turning back to Vivian. She coached the mother-to- be through several more pushes before calling Merlin over.

Calia whispered to him, "The baby is crowning. I need you to grab me the massage oil with chamomile, rose, and lavender. It should help prevent her from tearing." When Merlin brought her the oil, she handed him a clean cloth. "When she's born I'm going to hand her straight to you. Then get to work with whatever magic you possess…"

"Ok," Merlin nodded then stood next to the bed, pale with anxiety.

"Just a few more, Vivian, and she'll be here," Calia assured her. Vivian used every ounce of her power with her next push, and Calia was able to firmly grasp the top of the baby's head, using the massage oil to ease her passage. "Keep going…you're almost done!" Calia helped the baby's head turn slightly before it came out. Merlin caught a glimpse of this and grabbed the nearest chair for support, tears in his eyes.

Calia instructed, "Just breathe now, Vivian… Blow at me as if I were a candle you need to put out repeatedly." Vivian did this as Calia eased the baby's shoulders down. The little girl slipped out effortlessly, limp and cold. Calia quickly cut the cord and handed the baby to Merlin, who had tears pouring down his face. "Go. Work quickly," she whispered to him through her own tears.

Calia distracted Vivian by massaging her belly to get it to clamp down. Vivian wasn't bleeding any more than was normal, but it was something to do to keep both of their minds occupied. "My baby…Where is she? Shouldn't she be crying?" Vivian asked nervously.

Calia pointed, "Merlin has her. He…he's trying to get her to breathe."

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN TRYING TO GET HER TO BREATHE?" Vivian screamed, "NO! MY BABY!"

Merlin was frantically working to save the baby, but nothing he did had any effect whatsoever. It was clear that he could do nothing to break the curse in this manner. He finally let out a huge sigh and turned to face Calia. He shook his head sadly, tears still falling down his cheeks. Calia walked toward him and whispered, "I'm sure you did your best." She then brought the baby to Vivian for the mother to say goodbye, murmured how sorry she was and began hurriedly packing her supplies.

Calia didn't even turn to look at Merlin as she ran from the home, sobbing. Merlin rushed after her, catching up just outside Calia's own door. He grabbed her arm, turned her around and pulled her into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry, Calia. I…I…" he stammered.

"I know, Merlin…I know," she answered, "But I just can't take this! If…if that were my child…I could not live! I cannot imagine what it must be like for Vivian tonight…and for Gareth. It is the most devastating thing that could ever befall someone, and I have had to witness it now five times in the last ten days! It is more than I can bear!" Calia continued to bawl into Merlin's chest for some time before she was able to calm herself. When she had finally finished crying Merlin led her indoors and over to her bed. Calia crawled into bed and curled into a ball like a child. Merlin then pulled the covers over her, tucking her in, and pulled over a chair to sit by her. When he was sure she was asleep, Merlin stood up, quietly left Calia's home and slowly made his way back to Gaius's chambers.


	7. Chapter 7

Merlin opened the door to his chambers as quietly as he could and tiptoed inside, praying that Gaius would not wake. Fortunately for Merlin, even though Gaius was awake and watching him through squinted eyes, he was not angry or upset in the least. In fact, Gaius was relieved to see Merlin home safely and could now sleep easily.

Merlin did not notice that Gaius was watching him and made his way silently to his own room. He quickly dressed for bed, as he was quite tired after the night's adventures, but he did not know if he would be able to sleep. He lay down thinking about Calia and the birth he had just attended. Merlin sighed heavily picturing Calia sobbing and hearing Vivian's screams. First thing in the morning he was going to find out what Gaius knew about breaking the curse, and if Gaius wouldn't tell him, then he would go to Geoffrey in the royal library and search every book in there until he found something. With that thought in his mind, Merlin passed into an uneasy sleep.

A few hours later the sun began poking its light through Merlin's window, but he was sound asleep. Gaius had decided to give Merlin the morning off to recover from the previous night's ordeal. He was curious, however, about whether or not the curse had been broken, so he puttered around the room waiting for Merlin to wake on his own.

When the sun had been up for about four hours, Merlin finally awoke, wondering how he could possibly have slept so late and why Gaius had not woken him earlier. He threw on some clean clothes and raced out of his bedroom.

"Gaius! What time is it?" Merlin asked.

Gaius peered out the window at the sun. "It's nearly ten o'clock."

Merlin's eyes widened, his jaw nearly hitting the floor. "Ten o'clock! What? Why?"

Gaius laughed. "I figured you probably needed the sleep. How was the birth?"

"Oh Gaius," Merlin sighed, shaking his head, "Calia is incredible. The labor went perfectly; it was absolutely amazing to watch. Even the delivery seemed effortless! But the baby did not live… She was stillborn, just as the others."

Gaius's face fell. "I'm so sorry, Merlin. I had hoped…"

"Wait," Merlin interrupted him, "I'm so confused! You thought the curse had been broken?"

"I had thought it might have been, but I suppose it will take some more time."

"Time is one thing we don't have, Gaius. How can I help break this curse? What are you not telling me?"

Gaius shook his head. "I cannot tell you, Merlin. Unfortunately, you cannot force this curse to break. It is something that will have to take its course naturally."

Merlin was getting angry and attempting to refrain from shouting at Gaius. "But how long will that be? How can we be sure it WILL break?"

"I have faith that it will. As long as you continue to help Calia, learn from her and keep her calm, I believe with my whole heart the curse will break."

Merlin tensed his fists. "How will we know when the curse is broken? What has to happen?"

"You will know for sure that the curse is gone when Calia delivers a live birth, but I cannot tell you exactly what has to happen. You need to trust me, Merlin."

"I am trying to, Gaius," Merlin struck the table with his fist, "but I don't know how much longer Calia can take this. Watching her after the baby was born…it was devastating to behold! I did not know who was more upset, Calia or the mother. And Calia was beginning to be depressed even before the baby had been born, because she knew what was coming."

"You cannot let that happen. You need to keep Calia from being sad during the birth."

"But why? Why does it make a difference? The outcome is always the same!"

Gaius sighed. "I will tell you. This curse causes depression. It is not only the obvious making Calia miserable, but the curse itself is bringing her down. The problem is the more dejected Calia becomes, the more the curse takes hold and the more difficult it will be to break it. It is a vicious cycle that we must end."

"So this is how to break the curse!" Merlin exclaimed excitedly, but Gaius shook his head.

"It is not that simple, Merlin, and I fear I have told you too much already."

"No, you have not told me enough. I want to know how to end the cycle and break the curse," Merlin insisted.

"Ending the unhappiness cycle is not the exact way to break the curse; it is only a small part of it. Honestly, it is more to make it easier to break the curse than the actual way of breaking it, if that makes any sense at all… No, it probably doesn't, and I will not explain myself further."

"Maybe Geoffrey knows how…" Merlin shot Gaius a look.

"Really, Merlin? You're going to ask Geoffrey for help breaking a curse? You are crazier than you look."

This caused Merlin to crack his first smile all morning. "Well I wasn't exactly going to ask him for help with it. I just figured maybe he had a book about stillbirth or midwifery or anything that would help me shed some light on our problem."

Gaius shook his head. "No, Merlin. There is nothing in the royal library that will help you, so don't bother wasting your time in there. Please trust that I know what I am doing. Go find Calia. Cheer her up. I promise you that if you keep her spirits up, eventually the curse will break."

"But will it break before Gwen has her baby?"

"I cannot guarantee it, but I do hope so," Gaius sighed, "I have given Guinevere a potion to keep her pregnant a little while longer, but I cannot give it to her indefinitely. I told her it was to help her sleep, and since it is keeping her from having contractions at night I guess it is not too far from the truth."

Both Merlin and Gaius laughed lightly at this then Merlin asked, "How long can you keep giving it to her?"

"It really depends on how the baby is doing. I am checking on the baby every night before I give it to her. If the baby seems at all in distress then I won't be able to give her the potion without putting the baby's life at risk. If the baby is doing fine I could keep giving her the potion for up to three weeks."

"Three weeks! We should definitely be able to break the curse with that kind of time!" Merlin exclaimed happily.

"Yes, but that is only if the baby tolerates it. Most likely we will not have that long, so I do not want you thinking we have all the time in the world."

Merlin nodded. "Of course. I understand."

"Good. Why don't you go find Calia now? I believe she is going to need some comforting this morning."

"Yes, I imagine she will. Do you think I can bring her some breakfast?"

"That is an excellent idea!" Gaius put some porridge into a container and handed it to Merlin. "Take two pieces of fruit as well."

Merlin walked to the cupboard, pulled out two oranges that gave off a faint tangy scent and put them in his pack along with the porridge. "I'll see you later, Gaius. When do you need me back?"

"I have given you to Calia until this curse is broken, remember? Just make sure to check with Arthur to see if he needs you to do anything." Gaius paused. "On second thought, don't. I will make sure Arthur does not need you."

Merlin laughed and walked out the door calling behind him, "Thanks." As he left, Gaius waved and then went back to mixing up Gwen's potion for the evening.

Merlin walked quickly through the castle, hoping that he would not run into Arthur, but unfortunately luck was not on his side.

"Merlin, where are you going? Shouldn't you be mucking out the stables or polishing my armor?" Arthur called to him.

'_Damn._' Merlin thought, '_Just what I need right now…_' "Actually, I am running an errand for Gaius that has to do with your wife and the baby. Honestly, until the baby arrives he has me incredibly busy making sure that all goes well for the birth. If you really want me to polish your armor, I will do it, of course. Otherwise…"

"No, no. Of course not." Arthur smiled. "I assume you are going between Gaius and Calia preparing things."

Merlin nodded, grateful that Arthur seemed to be in a good mood. "Yes. I am walking over to Calia's house now with some herbs and potions for her to look over."

"Good! Then I will leave you to it. I will find another servant to assist me until Gaius and Calia no longer need you."

Merlin wondered momentarily if Gaius had slipped a potion to Arthur or done a spell to make him agreeable, but either way it didn't matter as long as Merlin could help Calia. "Thank you, sire. I look forward to your son's birth and mucking out the stables once again!"

Arthur laughed then walked away. Merlin let out a huge sigh of relief. "That was close," he said to himself, walking through the corridors. Soon, Merlin was outside the castle, but before he made his way through the streets of Camelot, he stopped to pick a bunch of roses from the palace gardens. When he finally arrived at Calia's hut, he knocked on the door and waited for her to answer.


	8. Chapter 8

Merlin knocked at Calia's door for a full ten minutes before conceding to the fact that she was not inside. '_Where are you, Calia?_' Merlin thought, forgetting his connection with Calia's mind.

'_Merlin? I'm in the castle. Where are YOU?_' Calia replied.

Merlin let out an audible sigh of relief. '_I'm standing at the door to your hut…_'

Calia's eyes widened as she wondered why Merlin was at her home. '_Oh? I'm in the royal library if you're looking for me._'

'_I'm on my way,_' thought Merlin as he turned around and headed back to the castle.

Merlin ran for the library as soon as he entered the castle, though he wondered what Geoffrey would say when he turned up carrying a bunch of flowers. As it turned out, Geoffrey did give him a strange look when he passed through the doors to the royal library, but Geoffrey's gaze followed him as he walked to the back of the library where Calia was sitting, her nose in a book. At that point Geoffrey gave a small smile and went back to his own work.

"Calia…" Merlin whispered.

Surprised, Calia looked up, but she relaxed and smiled when her eyes locked on Merlin's face. "You found me," she whispered back, "Why are you looking for me?" Merlin pulled the flowers out from behind his back, and Calia let out a small gasp. "You…you came to give me flowers?"

"And breakfast!" Merlin pulled the container of porridge and an orange from his backpack. "Though I think the porridge is now cold, it should still taste good!"

Calia laughed, taking the orange and peeling it. "I am sure it will be delicious, but do you have bowls and spoons?"

"Ummm, no. I was hoping to get those at your house," Merlin frowned.

"That's ok." Calia smiled. "I need to take a break from this anyway." She placed one wedge of orange in her mouth and offered another to Merlin.

"What are you doing?" he asked, taking the slice of orange and eating it.

"Research…but not finding a darned thing." Calia sighed, eating another orange slice. "I was hoping I might find a way to break the curse, but of course there are no books even remotely connected to curse-breaking in this library."

Merlin shook his head. "No. I already spoke with Gaius this morning, and he told me not to waste my time in here. Gaius has the only book related to breaking your curse, but he won't give me much information on it and keeps telling me to just let things be and it will happen on its own. He's driving me insane, honestly. I wish he would just tell me what has to happen!"

"I wish so, too. But I trust Gaius, as I know you do, and if he says the curse will break then it will. I just hope it doesn't take too long." Calia offered another orange wedge to Merlin, and he accepted it gratefully.

"Well, we have some time," Merlin assured her, "Gaius is giving Gwen a potion to stop her contractions, but he said he can't give it to her if it puts the baby at risk."

Calia nodded, finishing off the orange. "I know. I have used this potion before in mothers suffering from preterm labor where the baby is always better off unborn, but with Gwen nearing her due date it could become dangerous to force the baby to stay inside. I am sure Gaius is using it responsibly, though."

"He is… Now what say we go back to your house and have this porridge?"

"Sure. I would like that…even if it is cold." Calia laughed.

Merlin grinned and took Calia's hand, still holding the flowers in his other. He led her back through the castle and outside. He didn't care who saw them together and ignored everyone's looks. Calia, however, had turned beet red and was staring at her feet, watching the cobblestones pass underneath. When they arrived back at her home, Calia opened the door and stepped quickly inside, happy to be rid of the stares. Merlin, still oblivious, followed her inside, conjured a vase and filled it with water from a jug. He then put the flowers neatly inside and placed it on the table. Calia watched him do this with awe then, after he set the flowers down, she pulled two bowls and spoons from the cupboard and placed them on either side of the bouquet. Merlin took the porridge from his pack and served some into each of the bowls.

"It looks delicious!" Calia joked.

"Try it. Just because it's cold and lumpy doesn't mean it won't be good."

Calia took a spoonful and hesitantly placed it in her mouth. "Mmmm…it IS good! Who made this?"

"I wish I could take the credit, but Gaius is the master behind the porridge." Merlin began to eat hungrily from his own bowl.

The couple ate in silence, catching brief glances at each other between spoonfuls. This meal felt more comfortable to both than the previous night's dinner. They had been through a lot together in the last 24 hours, and it was starting to have a positive effect on their relationship.

When both had finished eating, Merlin cleared the dishes and washed them in the sink. Calia stood by smiling at him. "Thank you. You didn't have to wash them."

"Yes I did," Merlin insisted, "Otherwise your home would become infested with bugs and fruit flies."

Calia laughed. "I could have just as easily washed the dishes, you know."

"Yup. But I wanted to do this for you as a treat."

"You are so good to me, Merlin. Why?"

Merlin turned and looked Calia in the eyes. "Because I care for you…very much." He bent down, their faces inches apart, both parties aching for the moment when their lips would touch, when a forceful knock at the door brought both out of their reverie.

Calia rushed over to the door and opened it, revealing Gaius in a panicked state.

"It's Gwen…" Gaius stated simply.

"Damn!" Calia exclaimed, grabbing her midwifery bag.

"What happened?" Merlin asked as the three rushed back to the castle.

Gaius explained, "After you left I went to check on Gwen. Arthur wasn't around; he must be off training his knights."

"Actually he was busy bugging me about where I was going," Merlin quipped.

Gaius and Calia both laughed. "Anyway," Gaius continued, "Gwen was having regular contractions, so I prepared to give her another dose of the potion, but when I checked on the baby his heart rate worried me, so I could not give it." Gaius sighed. "I'm sorry, Calia…I will let you double check my work. If you feel comfortable giving the potion, I leave it up to you."

Calia nodded. "Thank you, Gaius. I am sure you did what you felt was right."

The trio reached the queen's quarters and could hear her moaning inside. Calia opened the door and was by Queen Guinevere's side within seconds, holding her hand. "Someone go and find Arthur!" Calia commanded.

Gaius and Merlin looked at each other, debating about who should go for the king and who should stay with Calia. Gaius motioned for Merlin to go as he knew Merlin could find Arthur much more quickly, so Merlin ran out the door, much to Calia's dismay. Gaius, noticing Calia's change of mood, approached her. "Don't worry. Merlin will be back soon. We need Arthur, and Merlin moves much more quickly than I do. Besides, I have slightly more expertise in birthing than Merlin does." Gaius smiled at her, and she returned the smile.

"You are right as always, Gaius." Calia paused and looked at Gwen. "How far apart are your pains?"

"Every five minutes or so," Gwen replied.

Calia nodded then felt Gwen's stomach, sensing for the baby's heartbeat. She determined quickly that Gaius had acted correctly; this baby needed to be delivered today if he was going to live.

Meanwhile, Merlin was running through the castle calling for Arthur. Merlin wondered why it was that when you didn't want to find Arthur he was lurking right under your nose but when you wanted to find him he disappeared off the face of the earth. He searched Arthur's chambers, the throne room, the dining hall, and even the dungeons, but he was nowhere to be found. He checked outside where the knights train, but no one was there. Merlin knew there was no way Arthur would have left Camelot, especially with Gwen so close to giving birth, so he was becoming afraid that something had happened to him. Then Merlin remembered what Arthur had last said to him, that he was going to have to find another servant to help him. Merlin ran to the stables and found Arthur there talking with James, one of the other palace servants, instructing him to muck out the horses. Breathing a sigh of relief, Merlin called out, "Arthur!"

"What do you want? I thought you were helping Calia today," Arthur questioned him.

"I was…I mean, I am. It's Gwen…we need you."

Arthur furrowed his brow. "Now? The baby is coming now?" Merlin nodded. "Oh God!" Arthur exclaimed, running from the stables, Merlin following on his heels.


	9. Chapter 9

"Gaius, can you get one of the servants to draw Gwen a bath. I think it will help give her some relief and allow her to rest," Calia suggested.

Gaius nodded and enlisted the help of one of the servants to prepare the bath while Calia tried to ease Gwen's discomfort in other ways. Her contractions were coming steadily every four to five minutes apart, but they were quite painful and had not allowed her to get much rest overnight.

Calia gave Gwen a hand to stand up in order to move toward the bath. Gwen was a bit dizzy after standing up too quickly, so they stood there for a few moments. As they stood, Arthur and Merlin burst through the door.

"Guinevere!" Arthur rushed over to his wife, taking Calia's place in holding her up. Calia then moved toward Merlin and gave him a thankful smile.

"Well done," Calia whispered to Merlin.

"You just have to think like Arthur," Merlin joked back quietly.

Gwen took a step toward the bath but stopped abruptly to wait for a contraction to pass. She clutched Arthur's arms, burying her head into his chest, nearly screaming with the pain of a particularly strong contraction. All of a sudden, she felt a pop and a gush of fluid between her legs. She looked up quickly, her eyes passing from Arthur to Calia. "I think my water just broke."

Calia nodded. There was no turning back now, even if they could have somehow made it safe for the baby to stay inside Gwen for another few days. Calia inspected the fluid and saw a small amount of blackish meconium stain. That confirmed the baby must be in some kind of distress and needed to be delivered soon. Gaius also saw the meconium and shot Calia a worried look. Calia shook her head, showing that there was nothing she could do about it now.

"That's a good sign, Gwen. It means your baby is coming soon. Let's get you into the tub," Calia finally said.

Arthur walked Gwen behind her dressing partition and helped her to undress. The tub had been placed behind this partition so Gwen could have some privacy from Gaius and Merlin, and she climbed in with Arthur's assistance. It was much easier for her to relax in the water, and it definitely helped with the pain of contractions. She could now breathe through them and was not on the verge of screaming. This gave Calia, Gaius and Merlin time to prepare the rest of their supplies for the eventual delivery of the baby. They spoke together in hushed voices while Arthur watched over Gwen.

"Meconium, Calia…this is not a good sign," Gaius began.

"We can't do anything about it, Gaius. The baby is in some kind of distress, and we will have to make sure Gwen delivers today. That is all we can do," Calia responded.

Merlin asked, "What's meconium?"

"The baby's first bowel movement," Calia explained, "It usually doesn't happen until after birth, but if a baby is in distress he can pass some prior to being born. The main problem is if the baby aspirates or breathes it into his lungs. This can cause infection or even an inability to breathe. This is just another thing to add onto our list of reasons why I am not going to live out the week."

"Don't talk like that. I won't let anything happen to you," Merlin insisted, "And it's not like it's your fault the baby is in distress!"

"No, it's my fault," Gaius added, "I'm the one who's been giving Gwen the potion. If he had been delivered a few days ago when Gwen was originally going into labor then this would not have happened."

"But the curse wasn't broken a few days ago…it probably still isn't, but either way the baby would have died had he been born days ago," Calia offered.

"What if I delivered the baby? Would that make a difference?" Merlin suggested.

Calia shook her head. "No one is touching this baby except for me. I appreciate your help, but I am the midwife. Besides, there is no way Gwen or Arthur would let either of you two anywhere near her when she is delivering. And I don't blame them! It would be the ultimate in awkward, don't you think?"

Merlin and Gaius both agreed with that. "Gaius, we need this curse broken…now. The meconium won't matter if the curse takes his soul," Merlin argued.

"You both know I have done everything in my power to break this curse. It is up to you two now. I can give no more instruction than for you to help each other with this birth."

"Ok." Calia nodded. "Merlin, let me show you the herbs we can use to make this birth go more quickly if need be. The faster he comes, the better chance we have that he will live if the curse is broken." Merlin followed Calia over to her herbal supplies. "Blue cohosh and black cohosh are both used to bring on more efficient contractions. We can't use too much or it will make the pain too great, although there are herbs we can use for that as well. For example, crampbark helps control cramping sensations both during and after birth. Chamomile relieves tension, which is why many people drink it as a tea when going to sleep. By taking care of the tension it helps to ease the pain. Scullcap and catnip also calm and relax the body and reduce pain in this way."

Merlin was familiar with several of the herbs Calia mentioned, but others, such as crampbark, he had never needed in his work with Gaius. "Thanks. I actually do like chamomile tea, come to think of it."

Calia smiled. "As do I," she replied, but the rest of her thought was cut off by a loud moan from Gwen. Calia walked behind the partition to check on her. "How's it going?"

"My back…it's my back. It feels like it's on fire!" Gwen screamed.

"Let's get you out of the tub, and I can help you with that," Calia suggested. Then she asked Arthur, "How often are the contractions now?"

"About every 2-3 minutes. They have really sped up," Arthur replied.

Calia nodded then helped Gwen out of the tub and into a dry robe and led her back to the bed. "Gwen, I'm going to give you some water injections to your back to ease the pain you're feeling there. The only caveat is that these injections are extremely painful. It will feel as if a swarm of wasps is attacking your back for about a minute. But I do promise that it will be worth it, ok?"

"Ok…anything to stop this agony!"

Calia turned to Gaius and Merlin. "Who wants to help me with these? I have a special contraption that allows me to put a small amount of water inside her back. There's a total of four injections, and we do two at a time because of how painful they are."

Merlin quickly volunteered, and Calia showed him how they were going to coordinate the injections. They then brought the necessary supplies over to Gwen and started to give the injections. The scream that Gwen let out pierced the eardrums of everyone in the room and startled servants walking nearby in the castle. Calia and Merlin finished giving the injections as quickly as possible, but her screams still rang in their ears. After about a minute, Gwen relaxed. "That…wow…that burned like nothing I've ever felt before."

"I'm sorry. But you should feel a difference in your contractions immediately," Calia assured her. And sure enough, Gwen was able to breathe comfortably through her next contraction and even smiled when it was over.

"The back pain is gone. You are a miracle-worker!" Gwen exclaimed.

Calia blushed, "Thanks. You try to get some rest, and I'll check your dilation in an hour or so if you don't already feel like you need to push."

Calia showed Arthur how to help Gwen through contractions by swaying with her and then walked over to Merlin and Gaius. "That was rough," Merlin commented.

"Yes, but it works…as you can see," Calia rebutted.

"Aye, that it does," Gaius agreed, "but how long will it last?"

"It gives us a few hours, but I think she'll be pushing before then." Calia sighed.

As usual, Calia was right. Within about half an hour Gwen was already making grunting noises, signifying that her body was already trying to push. Calia quickly checked to make sure that she was fully dilated and then instructed her how to push. Gwen made quick progress and within an hour Calia was already asking Merlin for the massage oil to ease the baby's head out. Calia nervously massaged around the baby's head, helping to ease him out.

"Gwen, with the next contraction you only need to give me a light push and his head will be out, ok?"

Gwen nodded and did as asked. The baby's head fully emerged, and Calia rushed to remove any remaining meconium that might be inside his nose and mouth. It was then that she noticed the cord wrapped around his neck. This was obviously what was causing his distress in utero. She deftly removed the cord and told Gwen to give another small push. With that the baby's shoulders were delivered, and he was born into Calia's waiting arms. She quickly cut the cord, taking a deep breath, and handed the limp baby to Merlin.

Arthur rushed over to look at his son while Calia made sure that Gwen's womb was contracting. It appeared to Calia that Gwen was losing too much blood, so she called over to Gaius to bring her the Shepherd's Purse tincture and quickly administered it, but blood continued to pour out. Calia shot a very worried look at Gaius. "Do something!" she begged him. They administered more Shepherd's Purse, and Calia massaged Gwen's stomach to get the womb to clamp down, but Gwen had already passed out due to the blood loss.

Meanwhile, Merlin was trying not to let Arthur see the baby as he knew that his son, the heir to the throne, was not breathing and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.

"My son… Why…why is he not crying? Why does he not move?" Arthur asked nervously.

"He is stillborn, Arthur," Merlin put plainly, "I am sorry."

"NO! NOT MY SON!" Arthur's screams could be heard throughout Camelot as Calia broke into heart-wrenching sobs and fell on the floor at Merlin and Arthur's feet.


	10. Chapter 10

Merlin handed the baby to an inconsolable Arthur and wiped tears from his own face. Calia was still at his feet, unable to move from crying so hard. Merlin bent down and picked her up, hugging her tightly.

"It's ok, Calia," Merlin whispered, "It's going to be ok."

"No! No it's not!" Calia screamed, crying harder.

Merlin insisted, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Arthur saw what an amazing midwife you are. You did everything right! There was nothing else you could have done."

"It doesn't matter, though. Arthur is going to blame me and put me to death!"

"Not if I have anything to say about it." Merlin put a finger on Calia's chin and lifted up her face so he could look straight into her eyes. "Calia, don't you know how much I love you? I cannot bear the thought of living without you."

Calia looked at him with wonder, her crying easing up. "Really? I did not think anyone was capable of loving me."

Merlin smiled. "Yes, really…with all of my heart." Merlin took Calia's face in both of his hands, pulled her to him and kissed her deeply.

The moment their lips touched, a sharp wail was heard behind them, which startled everyone in the room. Arthur nearly dropped the baby in surprise when he saw his son take his first breath and begin to cry. "Oh my God!" Arthur screamed, sitting on the nearest chair.

Merlin and Calia broke apart from their kiss and turned to look. "How? What? Gaius, explain yourself!" Calia exclaimed.

The smile on Gaius's face lit up the room. "I will tell you…both of you. But now is not the time."

Calia nodded and turned her attention to Gwen, who was still unconscious. She was secretly grateful for this because it meant Gwen knew nothing of what had happened with her son. Calia walked quickly to check on her. Gwen's pulse was weak, but she was no longer bleeding heavily. Calia motioned to Gaius to bring her the herb bag, then she took out a tincture and put a drop in Gwen's mouth. Within a few seconds Gwen opened her eyes and smiled. Weakly, she said, "My son, Lohot, where is he?"

"Arthur has him. He is beautiful, my lady. And perfect in every way." Calia was beaming.

Arthur, still with tears in his eyes, brought Lohot to his wife and handed him to her. Gwen took him and kissed his forehead. "Hello, baby! I'm your Mommy!" She then proceeded to count his fingers and toes and cuddle him to pieces.

Arthur walked back over to Calia and Merlin. "Calia…thank you. I heard you and Merlin talking, and he's right for once. You are a good midwife, and I would not have taken your life over this. It is truly a miracle, and I have no idea how it happened, but he is alive. I am grateful for the care you gave my wife for the duration of her pregnancy and especially during the delivery. Because of this, I wish to give you a position in the royal household. You will assist Guinevere with caring for Lohot when you are not delivering babies or meeting with pregnant women in Camelot. I declare you the Court Midwife. Any other midwives in our kingdom should report to you, and you will have the final say in all matters related to pregnancy and birth in all of Camelot. I would like to give you chambers in the palace as well, so that you will be close to Guinevere and the baby."

"My lord…I don't know what to say!" Calia began tearing up again.

"How about 'Yes, I would be honored'?" Arthur laughed. "I'll have Merlin help you with moving your things." Calia nodded, and Merlin grinned at Arthur.

"Thank you, sire. It is so much more than I deserve."

"No, Calia. Without your help Lohot would not be alive. I owe you my entire kingdom."

"Honestly," Calia replied, "I think you owe some of that to Gaius and Merlin."

"Merlin? What did he do?" Arthur laughed.

"Me? Nothing at all… I'm just here for moral support," Merlin offered.

Everyone laughed at this comment, Gaius more than anyone, and then Calia started to pack up her supplies. "Everyone is healthy, so my services are no longer needed for now. I'm going to go home and start packing."

"Thank you, Calia," Gwen said, "I am forever grateful to you and look forward to having you help me with Lohot."

Calia nodded. "Of course! I will be back soon. In the meantime, allow him some time on your chest – skin-to-skin – and he will probably teach himself how to nurse."

"I will." Gwen smiled and then looked back down at her baby.

When Calia had all of her supplies back in her bag, she left, waving at Arthur and Gwen. Merlin and Gaius followed her out. The three of them walked back to Calia's hut in silence. When they arrived, Calia sat at her table, still in shock about all that had happened. Merlin pulled up a chair next to her and put his arm around her, grinning. Gaius stood nearby, watching.

Calia looked up. "So, Gaius, now will you tell us what happened? How did you finally break the curse? And without Arthur seeing, too!"

"It was not me, Calia…it was Merlin," Gaius said with a twinkle in his eye.

Calia gasped and looked at Merlin whose eyes were open wide. "Me? What did I do?"

"Let me explain," Gaius continued, "You needed to be happy, Calia. The only way to break the curse was for you to be /truly/ happy. I could tell from the beginning that using Merlin was the only way to do this, but I could not force it. If I had told Merlin that he needed to woo you in order to break the curse, there's no way it would have worked right, and it would not have been genuine. In either case, I knew that Merlin loved you. It was evident from the first time I heard him mention your name! From that I knew that I did not need to do anything at all other than make sure you two were spending time together in order for your feelings for each other to develop. I honestly had no idea exactly how or when the curse was going to break. But I have a feeling that the moment you realized the depth of Merlin's feelings and he kissed you…I mean, that made you truly happy, did it not?"

Calia nodded, grinning. "You have no idea how happy, Gaius. I don't believe I have ever felt such joy."

Merlin beamed and hugged her tightly. "Oh, Calia! You make me happy, too."

Calia rested her head on Merlin's shoulder as Gaius went on. "So, that is how you broke the curse…or rather, how Merlin broke it." Gaius smirked.

"Wow! Well, I am going to make sure Calia is never sad again," Merlin promised, turning to Calia, "I will help you move your things to the castle, and I'll come to see you every day…until maybe someday you will move into private rooms with me…" Merlin blushed and stared at the floor, amazed at himself for being so forward.

Calia lifted Merlin's head gently and kissed him. "I would like that very much."

THE END


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